Conspiracy Theories Are Nonsense

Oral â€Å"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. † There is no greater economic system that can rival the Utopian nature of Communism, yet this statement sent shivers down the spine of the Capitalist World. The concept was flawless however the implementation resulted in one of one of the most infamous Political systems in the world. Communism, in layman’s terms, is a revolutionary political system , aiming to create a classless, moneyless and stateless social order structured upon common ownership of the means of production.It also aimed to change the social and economic ideology of capitalism , which was thrived on the principle of the rich getting richer, the poor , poorer. To understand why Communism spread so rapidly we must learn about the origins of communism. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels were the founding fathers of communism in 1848. Marx wrote a document called the Communist manifesto. In this document he outlined which areas w ould need to change. There were 3 main changes: political change, a economic change and social change. Unfortunately these are very difficult to change.Marx, however, found a way to accomplish this. A revolution. The Red Revolution!!! These were usually very bloody, as people would not easily part with their material wealth. Communism had to be implemented fully,people could not choose only one part of it. You are either in or killed. In the Russian Revolution alone 9 million people were killed. However, this must take place in order to overthrow the existing government. Marx emphasized the need for total destruction of the existing system in order for change to take place.The next part of their plan stated that a dictator must gain absolute control over the working class. During this phase, the new government has absolute control over the common citizen's personal choices for example education, religion, employment and even marriage. Redistribution of wealth would take place in thi s period. The final phase has never been attained because it requires that all non-communists be eliminated in order for the Communist Party to achieve supreme equality. In a communist utopia, everyone would happily share wealth.The government would control all means of production so that the one-class system would remain constant, with no possibility of any citizens rising to the top. Marx also detailed the 10 essential principles of communism, namely: †¢Central banking system †¢Government controlled education †¢Government controlled labor †¢Government ownership of transportation and communication vehicles †¢Government ownership of agricultural means and factories †¢Total destruction of private property †¢Property rights confiscation †¢Heavy income tax on everyone †¢Destruction of rights of inheritance Regional Planning In the communist society that the manifesto described, the government has supreme authority as it controls all land an d means of production. Because the government distributes land and property among the people, communism sets a standard of equality – both economically and socially — among its followers.  ­The system seems to work in theory, but Marx and Engels died before it was put into practice and did not see the fruit of their labour.Economy Capitalism, the current economic system in South Africa, is, according to communism, tremendously wasteful and destructive of men, goods, power, land. All useful goods are used until there is none left. But goods aren’t made for consumption, but for profit, and if a greater profit can be made, the destruction takes place. As capitalism developed, larger factories are built, thousands of laborers are used to make 1 product, yet it does not belong to them but to the owner of the Factory.The laborers are merely paid wages, which constantly grow less and less, as the price of the total product increases. So the gap between the worker and the owner increases and creates classes in which some can afford everything whereas others can barely know where their next meal is coming from. During the communist rule in Russia the State Bank was nationalized. Subsequently all other banks were nationalized and fused with the State Bank. This meant that the state owned the bank and could control the spending of money in their country to some extent.During the 1940’s 3 economic crises occurred in Europe. The Soviet Union, however, stayed economically stable The way out of this endless cycle of rich getting richer and poor getting poorer is a communist economy, where the means of production are nationalized and classes are no more, because the state owned everything and everyone would only get enough money to spend on their needs and a few wants. This system allows people to value knowledge, family and work as they have very little money to buy material goods. Communism can’t be built in one country alone.Since Capit alism can’t be overthrown all over the world with one stroke. They’ll use their state machines, their armies and navies to maintain their property and their power, the workers too are organized into a state to crush and conquer the capitalist states. So there are 2 ways to rectify this. To completely stop using industry, which in this day and age is virtually impossible. The second way to do this is what communism dictates to completely destroy all businesses that aren’t willing to be run by the state. There will be no exploitation. There will be no classes.Each will receive according to what he puts in, and as the productivity of labor will greatly increase, each will receive according to his needs and will contribute according to his ability. Social Structure: In a Communist Society there are no classes. There is no verbal, emotional or physical abuse. Everyone has the same benefits, everyone pays the same taxes. In short everyone is equal, but no 2 individual s are alike so Communist countries like China and the Soviet Union have special schools where young children with specific talents are placed they barely see their arents as they are forced to become the best in their field. This is Cruel, but effective. During WWII The Soviet Union held the chess world title longer than any other country during the 20th century and had the best and most grandmasters. They did this to prove that their way of living produced finer and more intelligent people than any other country. The Soviet Union used chess as propaganda. Sports were also very important to the USSR. Dominating the Americans in the Olympics was the ultimate way of them saying â€Å"we are the greatest†.At a young age children with talent for sports, music or academics would be taking away from their parents to study and train in that specific niche. Cruel but effective. Upon the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1925, Joseph Stalin outmaneuvered his opponent Leon Trotsky to take the reigns of the Soviet Union. Trotsky sought to continue Lenin's efforts of aggressively establishing Communism throughout all the world, since communism was inherently stateless, and was not intended to exist withn just one country. Stalin, however, was more practical, learning from the resounding defeat of communism in other parts of Europe.He instead focused on strengthening the Soviet Union, under Communist ideals, while simply supporting communist revolutions whenever and wherever they arose. Stalin's ideology proved more widely accepted, and became the modus operando of the Soviet Union from that point forward. This was not communism any more, but Stalinism. Religion The religion of communism is atheism. Now this may seem unfair for communism to force people to believe in something , but in a communist state they wouldn’t want people to be distracted from working for the good of the country.So with atheism people had more time to spend bettering their country’s ec onomic status and producing an intelligent race. In this Day and age communist countries are few and far between, out of the 196 countries that exist there are only 5 communist countries: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam that is less than 3 percent of all countries But back in the day of communist uprising there were over 40 communist countries Bulgaria, Mongolia, USSR, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, East Germany, Poland, Angola , Benin, Dem Rep. f Congo , Ethiopia ,Somalia, Eritrea, Mozambique and of course Russia. Are just a few of the communist countries. Symbols The hammer and sickle These two tools are symbols of the industrial working class and the farmers; placing them together symbolizes the unity between industrial and agricultural workers. This emblem was created during the Russian Revoultion of 1917. The hammer and sickle were not the official symbol until 1922, before which the original hammer and plough insignia was used by the Red Army and the Red Guard on uniforms, medals, caps, etc.The five-pointed red star is sometimes understood to represent the five fingers of the worker's hand, as well as the five continents. A lesser known suggestion is that the five points on the star were intended to represent the five social groups that would lead to communism rising to become the dominant political structure in the world: the youth, the military, the industrial labourers, the agricultural workers or peasantry, and the intelligentsia. It was one of the emblems, symbols, and signals representing the Soviet Union under the rule of the Communist Party.In politics, a red flag has been associated with left-wing politics since the French Revolution. [1] Socialists adopted the symbol during the Revolutions of 1848 and it became a symbol of communism as a result of its use by the Paris Commune of 1871. The flags of several communist states, including China, Vietnam and the Soviet Union, are based on the original red flag. Leaders Lenin- 1st communis t leader in the world Stalin -USSR Mao Zedong – China ( 1st communist leader) Kim il Sung – North Korea ( 1st Communist Leader) Ho chi minh – Vietnam Castro – Cuba (1st communist leader) Che Guevara- Latin AmericaGorbachev – Last USSR leader Benefits 1. people are equal, the advantage her no matter what type of education and financial stability you are on everyone is still equal which reduces crime and violence 2. everyone has employment. 3. The next advantage would be a steady and stable economy. 4. the greatest advantages in communism is that there is no competition. This is a great advantage because everyone is created equal, so each person can work equally as hard without stepping on one another’s back. 5. Communism abolishes class system, This results in an open society where there is no any kind of oppression. . Communism offers a platform on which all policies that affect the community are openly discussed and implemented fast 7. In c ommunism all people hold land. All goods are shared equally. 8. There is no poverty in communism so everyone is equal. 9. In communism individuals are assigned work by the State and they are given a bit remuneration of their service normally in kind. 10. People get ration from Government department Disadvantages †¢The government decides on what the people can have, rather than what they want. †¢The government dictates what people must do (like your job) and controls freedom of movement. All businesses are owned and controlled by the government. †¢Everybody is working, and most have nothing. †¢It relies upon everyone in the system being selfless and not trying to get more than anyone else. †¢It is very difficult to get out of a communistic country. When we have reached Communism we will have done away with both the Social Order and Social Disorder and humanity will have reached a rational system of society where development of mankind will no longer be choked by social relations, where, therefore, society will be a free one and man emancipated. Conspiracy Theories Are Nonsense Oral â€Å"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. † There is no greater economic system that can rival the Utopian nature of Communism, yet this statement sent shivers down the spine of the Capitalist World. The concept was flawless however the implementation resulted in one of one of the most infamous Political systems in the world. Communism, in layman’s terms, is a revolutionary political system , aiming to create a classless, moneyless and stateless social order structured upon common ownership of the means of production.It also aimed to change the social and economic ideology of capitalism , which was thrived on the principle of the rich getting richer, the poor , poorer. To understand why Communism spread so rapidly we must learn about the origins of communism. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels were the founding fathers of communism in 1848. Marx wrote a document called the Communist manifesto. In this document he outlined which areas w ould need to change. There were 3 main changes: political change, a economic change and social change. Unfortunately these are very difficult to change.Marx, however, found a way to accomplish this. A revolution. The Red Revolution!!! These were usually very bloody, as people would not easily part with their material wealth. Communism had to be implemented fully,people could not choose only one part of it. You are either in or killed. In the Russian Revolution alone 9 million people were killed. However, this must take place in order to overthrow the existing government. Marx emphasized the need for total destruction of the existing system in order for change to take place.The next part of their plan stated that a dictator must gain absolute control over the working class. During this phase, the new government has absolute control over the common citizen's personal choices for example education, religion, employment and even marriage. Redistribution of wealth would take place in thi s period. The final phase has never been attained because it requires that all non-communists be eliminated in order for the Communist Party to achieve supreme equality. In a communist utopia, everyone would happily share wealth.The government would control all means of production so that the one-class system would remain constant, with no possibility of any citizens rising to the top. Marx also detailed the 10 essential principles of communism, namely: †¢Central banking system †¢Government controlled education †¢Government controlled labor †¢Government ownership of transportation and communication vehicles †¢Government ownership of agricultural means and factories †¢Total destruction of private property †¢Property rights confiscation †¢Heavy income tax on everyone †¢Destruction of rights of inheritance Regional Planning In the communist society that the manifesto described, the government has supreme authority as it controls all land an d means of production. Because the government distributes land and property among the people, communism sets a standard of equality – both economically and socially — among its followers.  ­The system seems to work in theory, but Marx and Engels died before it was put into practice and did not see the fruit of their labour.Economy Capitalism, the current economic system in South Africa, is, according to communism, tremendously wasteful and destructive of men, goods, power, land. All useful goods are used until there is none left. But goods aren’t made for consumption, but for profit, and if a greater profit can be made, the destruction takes place. As capitalism developed, larger factories are built, thousands of laborers are used to make 1 product, yet it does not belong to them but to the owner of the Factory.The laborers are merely paid wages, which constantly grow less and less, as the price of the total product increases. So the gap between the worker and the owner increases and creates classes in which some can afford everything whereas others can barely know where their next meal is coming from. During the communist rule in Russia the State Bank was nationalized. Subsequently all other banks were nationalized and fused with the State Bank. This meant that the state owned the bank and could control the spending of money in their country to some extent.During the 1940’s 3 economic crises occurred in Europe. The Soviet Union, however, stayed economically stable The way out of this endless cycle of rich getting richer and poor getting poorer is a communist economy, where the means of production are nationalized and classes are no more, because the state owned everything and everyone would only get enough money to spend on their needs and a few wants. This system allows people to value knowledge, family and work as they have very little money to buy material goods. Communism can’t be built in one country alone.Since Capit alism can’t be overthrown all over the world with one stroke. They’ll use their state machines, their armies and navies to maintain their property and their power, the workers too are organized into a state to crush and conquer the capitalist states. So there are 2 ways to rectify this. To completely stop using industry, which in this day and age is virtually impossible. The second way to do this is what communism dictates to completely destroy all businesses that aren’t willing to be run by the state. There will be no exploitation. There will be no classes.Each will receive according to what he puts in, and as the productivity of labor will greatly increase, each will receive according to his needs and will contribute according to his ability. Social Structure: In a Communist Society there are no classes. There is no verbal, emotional or physical abuse. Everyone has the same benefits, everyone pays the same taxes. In short everyone is equal, but no 2 individual s are alike so Communist countries like China and the Soviet Union have special schools where young children with specific talents are placed they barely see their arents as they are forced to become the best in their field. This is Cruel, but effective. During WWII The Soviet Union held the chess world title longer than any other country during the 20th century and had the best and most grandmasters. They did this to prove that their way of living produced finer and more intelligent people than any other country. The Soviet Union used chess as propaganda. Sports were also very important to the USSR. Dominating the Americans in the Olympics was the ultimate way of them saying â€Å"we are the greatest†.At a young age children with talent for sports, music or academics would be taking away from their parents to study and train in that specific niche. Cruel but effective. Upon the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1925, Joseph Stalin outmaneuvered his opponent Leon Trotsky to take the reigns of the Soviet Union. Trotsky sought to continue Lenin's efforts of aggressively establishing Communism throughout all the world, since communism was inherently stateless, and was not intended to exist withn just one country. Stalin, however, was more practical, learning from the resounding defeat of communism in other parts of Europe.He instead focused on strengthening the Soviet Union, under Communist ideals, while simply supporting communist revolutions whenever and wherever they arose. Stalin's ideology proved more widely accepted, and became the modus operando of the Soviet Union from that point forward. This was not communism any more, but Stalinism. Religion The religion of communism is atheism. Now this may seem unfair for communism to force people to believe in something , but in a communist state they wouldn’t want people to be distracted from working for the good of the country.So with atheism people had more time to spend bettering their country’s ec onomic status and producing an intelligent race. In this Day and age communist countries are few and far between, out of the 196 countries that exist there are only 5 communist countries: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam that is less than 3 percent of all countries But back in the day of communist uprising there were over 40 communist countries Bulgaria, Mongolia, USSR, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, East Germany, Poland, Angola , Benin, Dem Rep. f Congo , Ethiopia ,Somalia, Eritrea, Mozambique and of course Russia. Are just a few of the communist countries. Symbols The hammer and sickle These two tools are symbols of the industrial working class and the farmers; placing them together symbolizes the unity between industrial and agricultural workers. This emblem was created during the Russian Revoultion of 1917. The hammer and sickle were not the official symbol until 1922, before which the original hammer and plough insignia was used by the Red Army and the Red Guard on uniforms, medals, caps, etc.The five-pointed red star is sometimes understood to represent the five fingers of the worker's hand, as well as the five continents. A lesser known suggestion is that the five points on the star were intended to represent the five social groups that would lead to communism rising to become the dominant political structure in the world: the youth, the military, the industrial labourers, the agricultural workers or peasantry, and the intelligentsia. It was one of the emblems, symbols, and signals representing the Soviet Union under the rule of the Communist Party.In politics, a red flag has been associated with left-wing politics since the French Revolution. [1] Socialists adopted the symbol during the Revolutions of 1848 and it became a symbol of communism as a result of its use by the Paris Commune of 1871. The flags of several communist states, including China, Vietnam and the Soviet Union, are based on the original red flag. Leaders Lenin- 1st communis t leader in the world Stalin -USSR Mao Zedong – China ( 1st communist leader) Kim il Sung – North Korea ( 1st Communist Leader) Ho chi minh – Vietnam Castro – Cuba (1st communist leader) Che Guevara- Latin AmericaGorbachev – Last USSR leader Benefits 1. people are equal, the advantage her no matter what type of education and financial stability you are on everyone is still equal which reduces crime and violence 2. everyone has employment. 3. The next advantage would be a steady and stable economy. 4. the greatest advantages in communism is that there is no competition. This is a great advantage because everyone is created equal, so each person can work equally as hard without stepping on one another’s back. 5. Communism abolishes class system, This results in an open society where there is no any kind of oppression. . Communism offers a platform on which all policies that affect the community are openly discussed and implemented fast 7. In c ommunism all people hold land. All goods are shared equally. 8. There is no poverty in communism so everyone is equal. 9. In communism individuals are assigned work by the State and they are given a bit remuneration of their service normally in kind. 10. People get ration from Government department Disadvantages †¢The government decides on what the people can have, rather than what they want. †¢The government dictates what people must do (like your job) and controls freedom of movement. All businesses are owned and controlled by the government. †¢Everybody is working, and most have nothing. †¢It relies upon everyone in the system being selfless and not trying to get more than anyone else. †¢It is very difficult to get out of a communistic country. When we have reached Communism we will have done away with both the Social Order and Social Disorder and humanity will have reached a rational system of society where development of mankind will no longer be choked by social relations, where, therefore, society will be a free one and man emancipated.

How does language allow self-reflection

How does language allow self-reflection? BY paulvolpi15 How does language allow self-reflection? There are two selves of the self; the spontaneous self is their acting impulsively in response to needs and desires regardless of concern. The other self is the socially conscious self, which monitors and moderates the impulses from the spontaneous self. For example, during a mental argument the spontaneous self may want to retrieve (property) goods without purchasing, but the socially conscious self may censor the spontaneous self by reminding themselves that doing so is illegal.It's like having an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. This self-reflection allows us to monitor our communication, so that we (our two selves) can remind ourselves in conversation that people of other cultures may have different values. Also it helps us to achieve the appearance we project of ourselves by modifying our speech and behavior to the situation. How does language organize perceptions? The way we organize experiences effects what they mean to us.When you put someone into the category of family or friend, an insult becomes playful teasing, but when an enemy or stranger says the same insult it is extremely offensive. We can use this organizational quality o go beyond specific experiences and simplify them to be seen as abstract thoughts. This simplification and organization can twist our thoughts through stereotyping. Stereotyping attaches individuals and experiences into a crowd that emphasizes a mutual characteristic but, it can often ignore the dissimilarities within the crowd.Evidently, we have to take a broad view at phenomena to function regularly but it's important to reflect on our stereotypes to recognize the differences between phenomena. How does language allow hypothetical thought? How do you think you will do in this semester? Where do you see yourself after graduation? What can you see yourself achieving after graduation? When answering these questions yo u must think hypothetically or outside the box. Using symbols helps us to think hypothetically because we can label ideas and capture them in our minds and then we can reflect on them.We can apply our past experiences to our present situation and plan out potential futures. Words have no basic connection to what they represent. We could substitute other symbols to represent the same phenomena. The meaning of a word is a collective construction by members of a group. This allows for the meaning of words to shift over time or even be newly generated. For xample, the term â€Å"googling† never existed until free search engines were created and became publicly acceptable among all internet users as a verb that means searching for info, like data, stats, and facts.Many words can have different implications for different groups of people. For example, the implication of a word for a specific group of people is considered socially acceptable for all members of the group but unaccept able in other groups. Also, you might have words that have specific or a special implication for only your family and friends. As our words and symbols continue to move away from an independent reality, the potential for onfusion is very huge. For example, overgeneralization is intentionally used for extreme perfection.We can reduce the existence of these kinds of mistakes by using more specific language. Ultimately the connection between language and perception seems to be very complicated because it is so broad and so specific. The only thing that comes to mind is basically how people decide to comprehend the language from a group and the way people communicate their perception back to a group.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUE DEALING WITH THE TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS EXPERIMENT Research Paper

LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUE DEALING WITH THE TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS EXPERIMENT - Research Paper Example This research paper will examine the legal and ethical issues in the Tuskegee Syphilis experiment. In the 1920s, the United States medical service and Public Health Service argued that black and white people differed on how they responded to diseases. Thus, the PHS saw the need to  study  the response of syphilis on blacks and compare it to  study  done in Norway on syphilis in whites. In 1932, both communities started the Tuskegee  experiment  in order to determine the  natural  cause  of untreated latent syphilis. This took place in Tuskegee, Macon County, in Alabama in which about 400 African American men participated. All the men involved in the study had syphilis and  were matched  against 200 uninfected African American men who served as a control group, and showed different clinical  manifestation  of syphilis because of their race. The main aim of the study was to examine the natural history of syphilis since about ninety nine percent of all the participants had not received any previous treatment; thus, it was not possible to  duplicate  this  study  type. According to Jones (1993), men involved in the experiment  were made  to believe that they were patients involved in a medical project and that they  were being treated  for their  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœbad  blood’, that is, syphilis or anemia. Moreover, they  were enticed  with  several  offers of  outstanding  free treatments, as well as free medical examinations during the research process. Heintzelman (1996) argues that the researchers probably took advantage of the poor, rural setting of the Tuskegee community, which had high rates of illiteracy and poor socioeconomic status. Nevertheless, Jones (1993), believes that Macon county  was chosen  as the most  suitable  area  for the study due to its high number of people i nfected with syphilis. The coordinator of the

Discussion questions-Managerial marketing Assignment

Discussion questions-Managerial marketing - Assignment Example e past several years, there are few options available to these companies as a means of seeking to reintegrate with consumers and provide a positive brand image. However, this should not be understood to mean that these firms are necessarily destroyed and the image is beyond reclamation. With regards to the specific case study and the question which was posed, it would be the choice of this particular student to integrate with a rather costly and far reaching outreach to consumers. Whereas few firms are willing to integrate with such an approach due to the fact that it is exorbitantly expensive, it would be the argument of this student, representing a key stakeholder within Mattel, that such an approach would ultimately reap long-term rewards due to the fact that consumers would have any and all fears that they might hold assuaged with regards to the best practices that the firm is able to integrate and the level to which it seriously considers the shortcomings of the past and looks p ositively towards the rewards and betterment of ethics and responsibility in the future. By seeking to integrate with consumers based upon these lines, a message and level of appreciation for their business and forgiveness can ultimately be achieved. Metrics must necessarily be provided to the stakeholders within the firm as a means of encouraging them to expand the necessary money; however, it is the police of the student that once these metrics are provided in the stakeholders are able to see the long-term rewards that such an approach could provide, they will be more than willing to integrate with such a public outreach

Rhetoric & Stereotypes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Rhetoric & Stereotypes - Essay Example ho are in the tattooed group are considered to be freaks, drug, addicts, criminals, weirdoes, tough and are always around bad people (Macrae, Stangor, Miles, 1996). These stereotypes are all negatives. The senior citizen group is taken to be made of people who are unwilling to accept new things, stuck in the past, silent and low movers who are hard at hearing. These stereotypes are both positive and negatives. Politicians use what looks like rational language that may in fact be false in their speeches so as to satisfy their own desires and interests. Another language common with the politicians is personal attack ad hominem (Bodenhausen and Macrae, 1994). The language is mostly used to shield the politician from the other groups of politicians. Usually this is done in a show of dislike for the other individual. A common language among the tattooed people is subjectivism (Macrae, Stangor, Miles, 1996). This is based on the assumption that whatever is true to an individual may not be true to the other. The language is used to justify their acts of misbehavior because most tattooed people are associated with negative activities. The feminist get a lot of attacks as many people do not want to accept their way of life hence they are never approved and are considered to be weak. Scare tactics are used to undermine their efforts to justify their way of living within the society (Ninvalle, 2004). The stereotypes are meant to undermine or intimidate someone into not doing some things. For example, a feminist can be intimidated due to the fact she is a woman and women are considered weak within the society. Senior citizens are the most neglected and stereotyped people within the society and the language commonly used is genetic fallacy according to Bodenhausen and Macrae (1994). This involves rejecting a claim based on origin or history. These stereotypes are usually half truths and they are based on assumptions that have little or no evidence. In conclusion, the

Create a project plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Create a project plan - Essay Example This environment is rather so friendly and sophisticated to cultivate a culture of proficiency and also enhancing of the opportunity for the staff to grasp the know how about technology and computers. Bromberg, M (1989). The Information and Technology Help Desk enhances hardware and software technical support and other technical assistance to the management's team, the corporate administrators, employees and even company clients. The customer care in this case in conjunction with the network support experts should continue working to ensure that the state of the art services are offered both to clients and the employees in comparatively more conducive environment. The Information technological department on the extreme end should relentlessly offer on going training to support technological need of the company. This training centers on things like software and hardware installations, troubleshooting, support and maintenance. Support in various departments can be offered by technological internship programs; this can help out the company in facilitating personnel support. In the marketing department, finance department, front office and the planning office. The allotment of the interns should be evaluated after a period of twelve months to enhance versatility to adjust to changes in client needs and to employee changes. Darkwa, O., Mazibuko, F (2003). 1.1 Description of Project To deploy a comprehensive information and technology suit that fosters efficacy and accountability; the IT domain requires a financial portfolio of $ 37,710 from the companies' expenditure fee to cater for some recurring costs. The requisite below outlines the essential services required to maintain IT support across the company all estimated at $37,710 1. Certified expansion (training, seminars, conferences) Refuge augmentation, router configuration, web design Certified conference development for Windows, Macintosh and Unix operating systems 2. Hardware and tangential support and Maintenance concurrence Twelve-monthly preservations on routers, firewalls and switches (with Cisco system). Twelve monthly preservations on complex systems on servers (web, email, database) 3. Authorization contracts conservatory and maintenance (embraces; yearly revises with preservation patches, software's releases and firmware advancements). Antivirus, anti-Spam software Wireless security software 4. Homogeneous, anticipatory safeguarding procedures (comprehensive service agreements and assurance, crisis paraphernalia attainments) Tragedy recuperation and apparatus malfunction emergencies Astringent purveyors for specialized installations and troubleshooting. 5. Provisions in all departments; this consists of toner, paper, office supplies, and computer parts for proxy reasons. 6. Network installation to facilitate comprehensive marketing and corporate affiliation.Budget Quantity Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Price Hardware and software security, (Anti-virus) 1 $ 230 Laptops, 5 $ 10,000 Wireless, 1 $700 Printers, 2 $900 Network, 1 $200 Routers/Hubs/Wiring 10 $500 D-link switches: 5 $230 V-sat 1 $720 Photocopier 2 $1290 Scanner 3 $190 Dell

Investigation and previous work on optical and thermal measurements in Dissertation

Investigation and previous work on optical and thermal measurements in transparent materials - Dissertation Example The optical and thermal measurements of Aluminum are also discussed because a part of this dissertation involves the analysis of Aluminum metal as a reflector for heat dissipation. When light rays hit the boundary of a refractive material, they are split into subrays according to the solid angle caused by the dispersion and the distance traveled by the split rays until they hit the next surface of the material (Wilkie, Tobler, & Purgathofer, 2000). Ray tracing is based on this principle and is used to study optical materials. When radiation falls on the surface of a material, some part of it is reflected, some is absorbed, and some of it is transmitted. These three are the most important optical features of a material and are characterized as the reflectivity (?) of the surface of the material, absorbance (?) of the material, and transmissivity (?) of the material (Bartl & Baranek, 2004). These three optical features of a substance are related to each other as per the equation: ? +? +? = 1. The refractive index of a material is given by the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of an electromagnetic wave in the material. The refractive index is an important optical property. ... transitions, multiphoton processes, scattering and defect and impurity absorption, density variations, etc are important loss mechanisms that greatly influence the optical properties of the substance (Tropf, Thomas, & Harris, 1995). Lattice vibrations or atomic motion in the material are responsible for its optical properties, dielectric properties, heat capacity, thermal conductivity and other important thermo-optic properties (Tropf, Thomas, & Harris). The refractive index, an important optical property, is influenced by a number of factors including temperature, stress, and applied field. The study of temperature effects on the refractive index of a material, called thermo-optic properties of the material, is especially important in case of solar concentrators because they are continuously exposed to heat and high temperatures due to exposure to sunlight. Thermal measurements such as measurements of thermal expansion and thermal conductivity of optical materials are thus important for predicting its behaviour. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion, given by ?, is the fractional change in the length with respect to change in temperature (Tropf, Thomas, & Harris, 1995). It is thus defined by the equation: ? (T) = 1/L dL/dT The thermal conductivity of a material, given by ?, is the â€Å"rate of heat flow† through the substance within a specific â€Å"thermal gradient† (Tropf, Thomas, & Harris). Figure 3.1 shows the thermal conductivity of several common optical materials. Fig. 3.1: Thermal conductivity of optical materials (Tropf, Thomas, & Harris, 1995, p. 33.37). Studying the optical and thermal behaviour of optical materials is an important prerequisite in order to utilize them in solar applications. Several methods for carrying out optical and thermal

Should Competition Take Place in Healthcare Research Paper

Should Competition Take Place in Healthcare - Research Paper Example On the other hand, many others argue that no segregation is necessary for healthcare industry from other industries and competition may increase the quality of the healthcare services and products delivered.   Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg in 2004, argued that â€Å"competition takes place at the wrong level in the healthcare industry: the level of health plans, networks, and hospital groups† instead of â€Å"level of diagnosis and treatment of individuals’ diseases† (Enthoven & Tollen, 2005). For example, the health insurance sector in America is dominated by private people even though governmental intervention is there for namesake. The greedy private insurance people always try to increase their profits which will increase the competition among the private insurance business people rather than at the level of diseases and treatments. The unhealthy competition among the healthcare insurance people actually denies the rights of the patients. Insurance companies can influence the doctors who treat the patients. Attracted by the offers and promises provided by the insurance companies, doctors may not prescribe expensive medicines or treatment options for the pat ients who have taken private insurance. Thus unhealthy competition among insurance providers may result in patients getting inadequate care even if they have the insurance protection. â€Å"Some employer groups advocate ‘system to system’ competition, in which physicians are forced to commit to one closed network or another. This actually limits competition at the level of diseases and treatments† (Enthoven & Tollen, 2005).  Ã‚  

Is the god existing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Is the god existing - Essay Example However, for many people there is another big question, is the God Existing? of which they are trying to seek an answer. In this paper I will be focusing onto explore this posed question and try to find its answer by means of exploring the contemporary views and assertions in the literature. In the present time, I have seen that many religious scholars from several religions are facing one common question which is that Does God Exist? as if the mankind is drowned in the ocean of uncertainty (Fishel 16). According to Schroeder, contradictions are there among scholars and general public thoughts about reasons why there are frequent floods, earthquakes are increasing, people’s economic lives are disturbed, and opportunities for earth resources are getting dissolved. Even people with high belief systems are stuck in this question that why God is not doing something. If He exists then why not stop mankind’s suffering. This is the question, which certainly has brought people to numerous contradictions (Schroeder 3-5). It seems to me that their thoughts are crumbled and their notions are perplexed that the God is really Existing or not. â€Å"You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are† (Tolle 142). The narration asserts the divine purpose of human existence, which is to connect to God, the Being in Existence. Exploring the literature I find that the human race deviated from its divine purpose and for that reason it got lost on its way and the journey of life ended in trouble, loathsome, uncertainty and suffering. It seems to be like this is the gist of life, which ultimately is associated to the existence of God. A thought of mine enhances that from purpose are the forms as for the forms is there a purpose. When purpose is lost, the existence of a form (the human existence) inevitably gets lost too. The existence of this divine purpose which is to submit to God shows that God does Exist, but it is the lack

Ying Yang Symbol Essay Example for Free

Ying Yang Symbol Essay The Yin Yang symbol also commonly referred to as the Tai-Chi symbol is easily thought of in today’s popular culture as a reference to the Sun (yang) the moon (yin) and the universe. Allen Tsai’s article provides some insight into the origins of the symbol itself, the meaning behind the curvature of the symbol, and how the Chinese symbol has found a place in popular culture. Allen Tsai goes into explicit detail on how the Chinese developed a surprising understanding of the stars and how they used the constellations and the sun to determine the seasons, the length of a calendar year and the time of the earths rotation around the sun. Tsai explains how the symbol is at its basic meaning a â€Å"Chinese representation of the entire celestial phenomenon. † In Alexia Amvrazi’s essay discussing the Evil Eye symbol, she presents all aspects of the symbol including what it is used for, who uses it, and why it is used. She explains that the Evil Eye is â€Å"a glance believed to have the ability to harm those on whom it falls† and can take place at any given time from any given person. (Amvrazi). The primary purpose of both, Where Does the Yin Yang Symbol Come From? and The Eyes Have It: Evil Eye in Greece, is to inform the reader of both the meaning an the use behind these well known symbols. This is clearly shown by the detailed descriptions of the symbols and the enlightening information; such as Amvrazi’s attempt to explain to readers the many different cultures â€Å"Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Christians† and how they incorporate the Evil Eye’s meaning into their teachings (Amvrazi). The informative purpose remains prevalent in Tsai’s essay as he explains that â€Å"the Yin Yang symbol is a Chinese representation of the entire celestial phenomenon† and that it â€Å"contains the cycle of sun, four seasons, 24-Segment Chi, the foundation of I-Ching, and the Chinese calendar† (Tsai). The common pattern of both authors is that they each began with the origin of each symbol. Tsai demonstrated this by starting his essay by explaining the the Yin Yang symbol is â€Å"sometimes called the Tai Chi symbol† and that â€Å"Tai Chi is from I-Ching,† also known as â€Å"the greatest foundation of Chinese philosophy† (Tsai). Amvrazi exhibits this pattern by starting her essay off with a scenario of where one might have experienced a result of the receipt of the Evil Eye and then goes on to explain what the evil eye is, what the causes are and who is susceptible to it The secondary purpose of Tsai’s essay is to describe. He describes many different aspects of the symbol. He explains that the â€Å"is a symbol combining the sun (top) and moon (bottom)† (Tsai). He also goes a bit deeper into his explanation by describing the unchanging rules and different ways to observe the sky in order to determine the â€Å"four directions† (Tsai). He also provides multiple visuals to go along with each description. He continues by discussing the seasonal changes and the cycle of the Sun. It’s almost as if he provides his readers with a step by step instructional handout of how to determine the many changes our universe encounters throughout the course of a year, or many years for that matter. Alexia Amvrazi’s essay is very similar in that her secondary purpose is coincidentally also to describe. In this case, she describes what the actual Evil Eye symbol looks like. Her description states that one could recognize an Evil Eye as â€Å"glass blue eye charms to ward against the evil eye† (Amvrazi). She states further that these charms â€Å"are still regularly sold† and worn by many people. They can be spotted on a more regular basis in countries such as Greece and Turkey where many of the residents are very religious and/or superstitious. The next pattern shown throughout Tsai’s essay is a bit of a spatial one in the since that throughout the whole essay, Tsai discusses the ever changing universe and its relation to the sun and moon in the sky. He even talks about the many positions of the Dipper and the way the sun is affected by its changes. The next pattern in Amvrazi’s essays differs from Tsai’s in that she takes more of a compare and contrast route when she discusses the similarities and differences in the ways the Greek Church and folklore view the wearing of the Evil Eye charm. The â€Å"Greek church and folklore are both united†¦in their belief that the curse of the evil eye (or kako mati) exists, but divided in how it can be warded off or tackled† (Amvrazi). The final purpose of both Tsai and Amvrazi’s essays are to help make such technical concepts as these more understandable to the general public. They each accomplish this task by introducing, in Tsai’s case the Ying-Yang symbol and in Amyrazi’s the Evil Eye symbol and providing an in depth and comprehensive understanding of both. What’s great about each essay is that both authors strive to make them as understandable as possible by breaking down each topic as much as possible while still keeping the audience interested. The final pattern of organization in Tsai’s essay is a bit of a process oriented one. He discusses the process of â€Å"recording the Dippers positions and watching the shadow of the Sun† (Tsai). This process was used by ancient chinese [when they] determined the four directions† (Tsai). The final pattern of organization in Amvrazi’s essay is used to introduce and define new terminology used in the churches in relation to the Evil Eye. For instance, she references a term, â€Å"kako mati† which is another term for Evil Eye. She continues to introduce a few other new words, such as â€Å"Vaskania,† all of which are used to help expand readers knowledge of the Evil Eye and the views of the Greek church. Overall the two essays were both written with the primary intention of informing their audiences of the meaning and uses of the Yin and Yang symbol and of the Evil Eye. Tsai main focus was on the universe and all its changes. He talks a lot about the position of the moon, sun, and stars in the sky. The main focus of Amvrazi’s essay was to shed light on a symbol recognized by many different cultures and its significance.

Person Job Fit Versus Person Organization Fit

Person Job Fit Versus Person Organization Fit This report reviews the recent developments of the research on Person-Organization fit (P-O) and Person-Job fit (P-J). These are the two most extensively studied fits in context of employee selection. In this report the concepts of P-O P-J have been discussed reaching a conclusion that P-J fit is considered important during the earlier stages (screening stage) of selection whereas P-O fit is a necessity in later stages (interviews etc) of selection process of an employee. INTRODUCTION The theory of Person-Environment (PE) assumes that positive responses occur when individuals tend to fit or match the environment. For example, When a good fit exists in between person environment, PE fit theories of vocational choice propose occurrence of high satisfaction, mental physical well-being when there is good fit (Dawis Lofquist, 1984; Holland, 1997). Extensive research supports the proposition that individuals are satisfied with and adjust most easily to jobs that are congruent with their own career-relevant personality types. PE-fit is conceptualized as a general term, under which fall more specific notions of fit. In the recruitment and selection domain, two common forms of fit identified are Person-Job Fit This is a match between an individual requirements of a specific job. Companies often pursue that person-job fit so as to match the applicants knowledge and skills to the requirements of specific job openings and focus on an applicants ability to perform right away without any training. Person-Organization Fit This is match between an individual broader organizational attributes. Companies while pursuing P-O fit focus on how well individuals fit with values of their company culture. They tend to emphasis on hiring people with an ability to work co-operate with other employees in the company. Person-Job fit Conceptualization The concept of person-job fit is the traditional foundation for employee selection (Werbel Gilliland, 1999). The primary concern was limited to finding applicants with the right skills abilities for a available job in the organization. PJ fit is conceptualized as the match between individual knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) and demands of the job or the needs/desires of an individual and what is provided by the job (Edwards, 1991; OReilly, Chatman, Caldwell, 1991). Based on realistic job previews, accurate and realistic job information enables applicants to assess the degree of congruence between their KSA and the job requirements (i.e. PJ fit; Breaugh, 1992; Breaugh Starke, 2000). Applicants who perceive a fit between their KSA and the job requirements are probable to remain in the selection process and accept a job offer. RJP research has shown that accurate and realistic job information during recruitment and selection is associated with positive work outcomes (e.g. low attrition from recruitment process, high job satisfaction, low voluntary turnover, high work performance). From its very simple inception evolving out of scientific management , the P-J Fit determination process increasingly gained sophistication with identification of both statistically reliable valid processes that can be used to measure P-J fit. Operationalizations of P-J Fit The operational aspect of P-J Fit focuses on needs-supplies and demand-abilities perspective (Edwards, 1991). Therefore, P-J fit can be defined as the fit between desires of a person vs attributes of a job OR abilities of a person vs demands of a job. This needs-supplies and demand-abilities fit are extended conceptualizations of complementary fit. Supplementary fit does not apply to P-J fit as it is concerned to the person only not the job. In employee selection practices, strategies used to assess P-J fit include tests, reference checks, resumes a variety of other selection tools (Werbel Gulliland, 1999). Outcomes of P-J Fit Employee selection process in most organization has traditionally focused on achieving P-J Fit (Werbel Gulliland, 1999). Another contributor establishing P-J fit is job design strategy backed by organization entry (Brosseau, 1984). Considerable evidences show that a high level of P-J fit has positive outcomes. P-J fit literature by Edwards (1991) identified low stress in job, attendance, retention, performance and job satisfaction are outcomes positively affected by P-J fit. Researchers demonstrated that structured validated procedures for determining P-J fit have led to more effective selection of employees when compared to unstructured techniques Person-Organisation Fit Conceptualization P-O fit can be defined as compatibility between people organizations (Kristof, 1996). With regards to employee selection research, P-O fit can be conceptualized as the match between an applicant boarder organizational attributes. The key to maintain the flexible committed work force, which is necessary in a competitive and tight labor market, is P-O fit. The P-O fit research can be traced back to Schneiders (1987) ASA framework (Attraction-Selection-Attrition). As per Schneider, persons are always on the look out for situations attractive to them rather than fit any assigned situation. Schneider argued that an organization can be considered as a situation, which implies that people can be attracted to it, be selected to be a part of it, remain if they have good P-O fit or leave the organization incase there is no good fit. Operationalizations OF P-O fit There has been an ongoing debate regarding the operationalizations of the P-O construct. Kristof (1996) review of P-O fit literature identified four operationalizations of P-O fit. Measuring the similarity between basic characteristics of people and organizations. The way to measure this to check the congruence between individual organizational values Goal congruence with organizational leaders Match between individual preferences or needs organizational structures and systems. This operationalization of P-O fit reflect the need-supplies fit curve. Match between individual characteristics of individual personality organizational climate or organizational personality. Organizational Climate is often operationalized in terms of supplies such as rewards systems or communication formats. This point takes into account both the supplementary need-supplies fit perspectives. Outcomes Of PO Fit According to Schneiders ASA framework, the attraction between persons organizations are based on their similarity. This affect the job choice approach of a applicant hiring decisions in organizations. Empirical evidence supports the fact that both applicant job-choice behavior organizations hiring practices are antecedents of P-O Fit. From the entry point, individuals organization socializations practice contributes to P-O fit. Empirical evidences support fact (Chatman, 1991) High level of this fit can be related to positive outcomes. P-O fit can be tied to job satisfaction organization commitment This fit could predict intention of quit turnover (Chatman, 1991 ; OReilly et al., 1991) and was also related to citizenship behaviours (OReilly Chatman, 1986), contextual performance and self reported teamwork. High level of P-O fit may have positive or negative organizational level outcomes (Schneider, 1987). Relationship between P-O fit P-J Fit P-O fit P-J fit are distinct constructs conceptually. Many researchers have reported have reported low correlations between actual PO Fit an P-J fit (OReilly et al., 1991 ; Higgins, 2000) and perceived P-O fit P-J fit(Kristof-Brown, 2001). Factor analysis proved that the job applicants and recruiters could identify or distinguish P-O P-J fit ( Kristof-Brown, 2000). Kristof Brown (2000) came to a conclusion recruiters perceived P-O P-J were different in terms of antecedents they offered unique prediction of employers hiring recommendations. Lauver Kristof -Brown (2001) found that employees P-O fit could predict his intention to quit performance than the P-J fit. Both these fits directly affected new employees outpu including stress, job satisfaction turnover. P-J had the most impact on work attitudes followed by P-O fit. - P-O fit P-J In Employee Selection Employee selection can divided into two different approaches : prescriptive descriptive. The prescriptive type of approach aim at points what managers should do in getting the right candidate. This approach usually focuses on the criteria-related valuation of the main concept as the predictor domain. The descriptive approach concentrates on the part what managers actually do in their selection procedures. They describe how the focal concept works out in the actual process. Prescriptive Descriptive approaches for P-O P-J fit in selection process can be summarized as follows. Prescriptive Approach In Selection Traditionally, the selection process was bend on achieving P-J fit (e.g American organizations). Both practitioners researchers suggested that P-J fit is becoming less important when compared to others fits. The challenges they faced from P-J fit were the extended criterion domain predictor factor (Werbel Gilliland, 1999). Borman Motwildo (1993) were of the opinion that selection of a candidate should be associated with organization effectiveness. Distinguishing task contextual performance should be done. Researchers identified many similar concepts with regards to contextual performance such as pro-social behavior, extra role behavior organizational citizenship behavior. Based on these findings, they suggested decisions on hiring needs to go beyond P-J fit, taking into consideration the expanded criterion domain. The arguments for expanded criterion domain can be summarized as follows. First the Employers should be aware that the hired employees will hold multiple tasks over the period of his employment. This leads to disagreement with the fact of an employee doing a specific job as mention in P-J fit. Second point to which they stressed was in selection of an applicant by a manager should be based on applicants compliance with values vision of the organization. Third, P-J fit has some ideas of jobs themselves. In an expanded criterion domain, teamwork flexibility should be taken into consideration while selecting a employee. With these limitations in P-J fit for employee selection, most practitioner researchers suggest use of P-O Fit in selection of an employee. As high levels of P-J P-O fit leads to positive outcomes such as job satisfaction, performance organizational commitment, both P-J P-O should be included in the selection process. Using P-J fit in the initial selection process using P-O Fit in the latter or final stages of selection of an employee would be ideal. Descriptive Approach on Fit in Selection These days despite the extensive focus on P-J fit for a selection process, many researchers argue that key elements of P-O fit has been included (Chatman, 1989). One the most used selection method for assessing an applicant is Interviewing. Managers are very keen on conducting them as they feel it to be the best way of selecting candidates who appear to fit to the organization. Prior to interviews, applicants are selected for interview with P-J fit evaluations. During the interview, managers usually focus the applicants P-O fit. Based on theories , researchers always emphasis that P-O fit plays a major role at later stages of employment selection than in the earlier stages (Kristof-Brown, 2000 ). Though the argument is reasonable, we are not sure about the later stages of selection process in a organization. Possibility of weighing P-J fit more than P-O fit by managers should be also taken into consideration. CONCLUSION To conclude, as high levels of P-J P-O fit leads to positive outcomes such as job satisfaction, performance organizational commitment, both P-J fit P-O fit elements should be included in the selection process of an employee. Considering P-J fit during the earlier or initial stages of selection measuring the P-O fit during the later stages of selection process of an employee would be ideal.

Sopranos and the Perpetuated Mafiosi Image Essay -- essays research pa

The Sopranos and the Perpetuated Mafiosi Image A life of organized crime, fancy cars, machine guns, beautiful women, money, power and family; these are the images that have perpetuated the associations of Italian-Americans with the Mafia in film and television for decades. It is in this traditional Godfather fashion that the HBO hit series The Sopranos continues to perpetuate this stereotypical image into the 21st century. From classic films like The Godfather and Goodfellas, to miniseries events like Bella Mafia and The Last Don, to the dramatic series The Sopranos, Italian-Americans have traditionally been portrayed as gangsters and mobsters and have been seen living the lives of organized criminals. Italian-Americans and the Mafia have traditionally been linked in popular culture and The Sopranos is no exception. "It's undeniable that the dominant pop-culture images of Italian-Americans have been the mobster and the related, anti-working class stereotype of the boorish gavone" (De Stefano 32). Textually, Tony Soprano is just this. He is an Italian-American, living in a suburban New Jersey town, the head of the local Mafia family. He is anything but working class, as he is continually portrayed as the mobster dealing with "business." He is involved in murders, blackmail, illegal gambling and racketeering. Inter-textually, there are frequent references to Mafia popular culture. Tony and his gang regularly recite lines from The Godfather and refer to each other as "Donnie Brasco." Tony's relationship with his therapist parallels that of the satiric Mafia film, Analyze This and comments are made to that effect. These inter-textual references draw attention to the traditional Mafia portrayals in film and television and acknowledge the existence of this stereotypical d epiction of Italian-Americans in visual media. The producers of The Sopranos go as far as to include comedic extra-textual references, drawing upon the social commentary of ethnic stereotyping. When Tony's therapist and her family make a toast over dinner to the "20 million Italian-Americans" who have nothing to do with organized crime, we see here a representation of the opposition by Italian-Americans to the Mafia-stereotype. Sub-textually, the covert commentary within the series runs deep. Running between the lines are sub-plots dealing with family val... ...hus associates people of such ethnic descent with crime and corruption. Those in opposition of the show see it as " a buffoonish caricature of (these) people" and "an ethnic minstrel show" (Showalter 42). In line with traditional representations of Italian-Americans in visual media, the Sopranos continues a portrayal of Mafiosi and glamorized lives of crime and power. Yet, this fresh take on and old image successfully creates a window to the realistic lifestyle of a modern-day Mafia family. While this series presents a look at only a microcosm of contemporary society, it perpetuates the stereotypical association of Italian-Americans as sensationalized Mafiosi and glorifies the lifestyle of organized criminals in the 21st century. BIBLIOGRAPHY Auster, Albert. "The Sopranos: the gangster redux." Television Quarterly 31 : 4 (Winter, 2001): 34-8. De Stefeno, George. "Ungood Fellas." The Nation 270 : 5 (Feb. 7, 2000) : 31-3. Golway, Terry. "Life in the 90's." America 180 : 10 (March 27, 1999) : 6. Showalter, Elaine. "Mob Scene." American Prospect 11 : 8 (Feb. 28, 2000) : 42-3 . The Sopranos. Chase, David. HBO. 1999-2002.

Thoreaus Elements of American Romanticism Essay -- essays research pap

Elements of American Romanticism Henry David Thoreau pens his book Walden during a revolutionary period of time known as American Romanticism. The literary movement of American Romanticism began roughly between the years of 1830 and 1860. It is believed to be a chapter of time in which those who had been dissatisfied by the Age of Reason were revolting through works of literature. All elements of Romanticism are in sharp, abrupt contrast to those types of ideas such as empirical observation and rationality. An online article describes American Romanticism in the following manner, â€Å"They celebrated imagination/intuition versus reason/calculation, spontaneity versus control, subjectivity and metaphysical musing versus objective fact, revolutionary energy versus tradition, individualism versus social conformity, democracy versus monarchy, and so on† (Strickland). In 1845 during that period of time, Thoreau decides to spend two years of his life in an experiment with Mother Nature in a cabin at Walden Pond. H e tells exquisite tales of life in natural surroundings in his book, Walden, through a most primitive organic style. Walden is a key work of American Romanticism because of its embedded ideas of solitude, individualism, pantheism and intuition. Romanticism seeks nature as a means for obtaining knowledge, and while Thoreau heavily spends his time in the woods and around the pond by himself, he inevitably feels a sense of solitude. Solitude is not necessarily loneliness or intentional isolation of oneself. It is merely an acknowledgment of the fact that he or she is alone. Thoreau has his own thoughts about solitude in which he writes: In the midst of a gentle rain while these thoughts prevailed, I was suddenly sensible of such sweet and beneficent society in Nature, in the very pattering of the drops, and in every sound and sight around my house, an infinite and unaccountable friendliness all at once like an atmosphere sustaining me, as made the fancied advantages of human neighborhood insignificant, and I have never thought of them since. Every little pine needle expanded and swelled with sympathy and befriended me. (88-89) He acknowledges his distance from humanity in the preceding passage, yet he does not feel lonely because Nature upholds him. Additionally, he clearly states that the living organisms around him are what he dwells upon for his emotional su... ...ing Henry David Thoreau into a prominent American Romantic writer. Such elements include his writings about life in Nature having great solitude; he became friends with the surrounding plants and animals. Secondly, he wrote about what was occurring day to day at Walden’s Pond which showed him as being individualistic. Moreover, there was the idea that God can only be found in nature, and pantheism was constant idea in his book. Finally, Thoreau wrote about intuition as a means of obtaining knowledge, and his use of senses as a tool for building intuition. These ideas time and time again show the various aspects of Thoreau being portrayed as an American Romantic which has lead to a great historical achievement as a writer that he well deserves. Works Cited Harrison, Paul. â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions about Pantheism.† (1996). 10 December 2004 . Pohle, Nancy C. and Selover, Ellen L. â€Å"Awareness & Intuition.† 10 December 2004 . Stata, Raymie. â€Å"What is Individualism.† (1992). 10 December 2004 . Strickland, Brad. â€Å"AMERICAN ROMANTICISM (1828-1865) OVERVIEW.† (1997). 10 December 2004 . Thoreau, Henry David. Walden and Civil Disobedience. New York: W. Norton & Company, Inc, 1966.

Culture and Psychopathology : A relationship Essay -- Psychology

Culture is defined as the group of similar values, goals, outlooks, ideas and traditions that a shared by a certain group of people. The human race is diverse and varied, filled with many cultures. There are many differences in these cultures and because of these differences; the definition of normal differs from culture to culture. It only makes sense that diagnoses of psychopathologic disorders vary from culture to culture. However certain things will not change because fundamentally, we all still belong to the same species. Take the typical division of the east and the west. Research has shown that people from western cultures think differently from people in the eastern cultures. Westerners tend to see themselves as individuals. In comparison, people from East Asian cultures tend to see themselves as part of a whole and as interdependent person in the community. This translates itself into their world view, while the westerner tends to see the main point in great detail; the easterner is more likely to see the full dynamics of the full picture (Goldberg, 2008). It can be said that they think differently because of the culture in which they are immersed in. An experiment was carried out to determine how were 8-year-olds were at puzzle solving. This experiment was carried out with American and Asian children. The Americans did better at puzzles they had chosen while the Asians did better at puzzles their mothers had chosen. This reflects on the varying though processes between the two cultures. The Amer icans were more independent and comfortable to choose their own puzzles while the Asians were comfortable in the belief that their mothers knew what the best was for them (Goldberg, 2008). The point of the experiment was to... ...izations in the many cultures in the world. References Psychological Medicine. (n.d.). Changi General Hospital. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from www.cgh.com.sg/Medical_Specialities/Medical_Services/Pages/psychological.aspxhttp:// Goldberg, C. (n.d.). Differences Between East and West Discovered in People’s Brain Activity - The Tech. The Tech - MIT's Oldest and Largest Newspaper. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from http://tech.mit.edu/V128/N9/culture.html Juris G. Draguns (1986): Culture and psychopathology: What is known about their relationship?, Australian Journal of Psychology, 38:3, 329-338 Braun, F. K., Fine, E. S., Greif, D. C., & Devenny, J. M. (2010). Guidelines for multicultural assessment: An asian indian american case study. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 38(3), 130-141. http://search.proquest.com/docview/610013358?accountid=16285

Most prized possesion Essay

Out of all the material items I possess, I would have to call my first car my one true prized possession. Veronica, as I often refer to her is rusty black and has more than a few bruises. Pretty much a replica of the stereotypical teenager’s first car. Possessions like these often are seen as junk to the rest of the world, but in one person’s heart it remains an invaluable treasure. For myself, I was lucky enough to find that one hidden gem in a 1998 Ford Contour. In my eyes it will be forever priceless because it is not the exterior value of the car that matters, but the long road of experience it has carried me on. My car has taught me more than I expected in such a short time, but above all it has given me memories, a feeling of responsibility, and taught me that hard work pays off. As with most material items, certain memories tend to latch onto the object and are able to transport one back to a better time and place just by looking at it. Even though it is only a year old (at least in my possession), it seems as if it already carries a lifetime of memories. It treated me well through a timeless summer, the final summer before college becomes a true reality. Car rides filled with music pulsing, friends laughing, and road trips taken will never be forgotten. It has seen its share of sandy beaches and bright blues skies, as well as torrential downpours and yet has never failed me once. If I ever needed to get away from my sometimes chaotic and frustrating household, the car has allowed me to finally have some form of escape after eighteen long years. So this car has quite literally been with me through everything in this past year, and I will always remember it for the freedom it has granted me for the first time in my life. It even holds promises of even better memories in the future. I can almost guarantee things are going to get hectic at times and circumstances are going to change more than once, but through it all my car will remain the one constant. The tangible mass that is the car is enough to remind me of all I went through to finally get to this point in my life. This fact is what makes my car so special, because no price tag can be put on an unforgettable memory. The newfound responsibility that this car has given me also is what makes it  invaluable. Owning something monumental like a vehicle comes with a certain sense of pride and self-accomplishment, but that same feeling can be taken away in an instant if you do not act responsibly. The freedoms that come with a car unfortunately do not come without their restrictions. There are state laws, parking rules, and probably most important, the parental rules. If these limitations are not taken seriously, many young drivers will find that their feeling of independence is short lived, myself included. I have learned that a great deal of hard work and effort can all be a waste of time if you don’t remain responsible after you have reached your goal. One must become independent and own up to their actions, whether good or bad. This new characteristic of responsibility will carry on to all other aspects of my life and I can thank my experience as a car owner for that. Finally, my car has taught me a valuable lesson of dedication that I will never forget. Never before had I worked so hard to get something that I wanted. Without help from my parents to pay for a car, I spent months and months of job hours busing tables to pay for something I could call my own. Two thousand five hundred dollars later, for the first time in my life I have something that is 100% mine. This feeling of pride and ownership is something I truly value, a feeling I would have never experienced without the vehicle. This over year-long process of saving money and doing hard, manual labor has taught me a lesson that has always seemed abstract up to this point in my life. The car is now tangible proof to me that hard work eventually does pay off and has its rewards if you stay dedicated. It is this lesson that will always stick with my car and with myself and is what makes it one of my prized possessions. In all reality, I know I won’t have the same car for the rest of my life. Eventually I will move on to bigger and better things, as all people seem to do in this new world, and my car will become just another piece of junk on the side of the road. This doesn’t mean the memories and lessons the car has given me will become any less important. They will forever remain special in my mind and even though the car won’t be there to remind me of them, I will take these lessons with me wherever I go.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Sixteen

I GAVE MS. TERWILLIGER a full report on our trip to the inn the next morning. We met at Spencer's, and in a rare show of early rising, Adrian joined us. â€Å"I've got a study group meeting soon,† he explained. His mood was a lot better, with no mention of yesterday's . . . indiscretion. Even though there wasn't much to tell, lines of worry creased her face as she heard our story. The true panic came when I mentioned my dream. Ms. Terwilliger's eyes went wide, and she gripped her coffee cup so tightly, I thought it would break. â€Å"She found out,† she murmured. â€Å"Whether it was that Alicia girl or some other way, Veronica found out about you. I should never have sent you. I thought you'd slip underneath her radar if the other girls were charmed, but I was wrong. I was selfish and naive. It would've been better if she knew I was on to her from the very beginning. You're sure you were masking Sydney's appearance?† That was to Adrian. â€Å"Positive,† he said. â€Å"Everyone we talked to, all the girls and even Alicia . . . none of them would have a clear idea of what Sydney looks like.† â€Å"Maybe she's been spying on you,† I suggested. â€Å"And saw us together. I haven't been in disguise around here.† â€Å"Maybe,† Ms. Terwilliger conceded. â€Å"But we also know she was active in Los Angeles. She would have to spend considerable time stalking her victims, which wouldn't give her the chance to come here and watch me extensively. Even with her powers, she can't teleport.† Her expression hardened with resolve. â€Å"Well, there's nothing to be done now but damage control. She doesn't seem to know exactly where you are yet or that you're even connected to me. I'll make you another charm to try to boost this one, but it may not work if she's found a way to reach out to you. And in the meantime, don't worry about offense anymore. You need to focus on defense – particularly invisibility spells. Your best protection against Veronica at this point is for her simply not to find you if she comes looking around Palm Springs.† I'd continued reading the advanced offense spells, despite her warnings. With this new development, though, I knew she was right about defense being more important. Still, I couldn't shake the worry that Veronica had discovered me by watching Ms. Terwilliger, which in turn made me fear for my teacher's safety. â€Å"You keep saying she's not after you . . . but are you really sure?† â€Å"She'll avoid me if she can,† said Ms. Terwilliger, sounding confident. â€Å"I have the power but not the youth and beauty she's after. And even she would draw the line at taking on her sister. It's the only remnant of human decency she has left.† â€Å"Will she still have that attitude when you confront her?† asked Adrian. Ms. Terwilliger shook her head. â€Å"No. Then anything goes. I'd like to meet with you tonight to practice a couple other defensive tactics.† I eyed her carefully. â€Å"Are you up for that? No offense, ma'am, but you already look exhausted.† â€Å"I'll be fine. Meet me at the park again around ten. I'll get Weathers to let you go. We must keep you safe.† She stared off into space for several moments and then focused on me again. â€Å"In light of this development . . . it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to find some, ah, more basic means of defense as well.† â€Å"Basic?† I asked, puzzled. â€Å"She means like a gun or a knife,† supplied Adrian, catching on to what I hadn't. Ms. Terwilliger nodded. â€Å"If you ever confront Veronica, it'll most likely come down to magic fighting magic . . . but, well, one can never say. Having something else for backup might prove invaluable.† I wasn't a fan of this idea. â€Å"I have no clue how to knife fight. And I don't like guns.† â€Å"Do you like being put into a coma and aging before your time?† asked Adrian. I shot him a glare, surprised he'd be on board with this. â€Å"Of course not. But where would we even get one on such short notice?† From the look on his face, he knew I had a point. Suddenly, he became enthusiastic again. â€Å"I think I know.† â€Å"I'm sure you two will figure it out,† said Ms. Terwilliger, her mind already moving to something else. She glanced at her watch. â€Å"Almost time for classes.† We all stood up, preparing to go our own ways, but I held Adrian back. I couldn't imagine how in the world he would know where to get a gun on no notice. He wouldn't elaborate and simply said he'd meet me after school. Before he left, I remembered something I'd wanted to ask. â€Å"Adrian, did you keep my cross?† â€Å"Your – oh.† Looking into his eyes, I could practically see yesterday's events playing through his mind – including us rolling around on the bed. â€Å"I dropped it when – ah, well, before we left. Yo u didn't pick it up?† I shook my head, and his face fell. â€Å"Shit, I'm sorry, Sage.† â€Å"It's okay,† I said automatically. â€Å"It's not okay, and it's my fault. I know how much it means to you.† It did mean a lot to me, but I almost blamed myself as much as him. I should've thought of it before we left, but I'd been a little preoccupied. â€Å"It's just a necklace,† I told him. This didn't comfort him. He looked so dejected when we parted ways that I hoped he wouldn't forget about us meeting up later to visit his mysterious gun source. There was nothing to worry about, though. When classes ended, he was outside my dorm in the Mustang and looked much more upbeat, with no more mention of the necklace. When he told me his gun plan, I was shocked, but after a few moments of thought, I realized he might be on to something. And so, a little less than an hour later, we found ourselves far outside the city, driving up to a forlorn-looking home on a large, barren piece of land. We had reached the Wolfe School of Defense. â€Å"I never thought we'd be here again,† I remarked. Wolfe's house had no windows, and there were no cars in sight as we walked up to the door. â€Å"He may not even be home,† I murmured to Adrian. â€Å"We probably should have called first.† â€Å"Wolfe never struck me as a guy who leaves the house very much,† said Adrian. He knocked on the door, and almost instantly, we heard a flurry of barking and scampering feet. I grimaced. Wolfe, for reasons I would never be able to understand, kept a herd of Chihuahuas in his house. He'd once told us that they could kill a man upon a single command. We waited a few minutes, but the barking was the only sign that there was any sort of life inside. Adrian knocked one more time (driving the dogs into an even greater frenzy) and then shrugged. â€Å"I guess you were – â€Å" The door suddenly opened – just a slit – and one gray eye peered out at us from underneath a chain. â€Å"Oh,† came a grizzled voice. â€Å"It's you two.† The door closed, and I heard the chain being unlocked. A moment later, Wolfe slipped outside, careful not to let any of the dogs out. He had a patch over his left eye, which was probably just as well since his other eye alone seemed to peer straight through me. â€Å"You should've called,† he said. â€Å"I nearly turned the dogs on you.† Wolfe was dressed in his favorite pair of Bermuda shorts as well as a T-shirt showing a bald eagle riding on a monster truck. The eagle held an American flag in one set of talons and a samurai sword in the other. That seemed a weird weapon choice for such a patriotic shirt, but we'd long since learned not to question his wardrobe. That had come after he'd kicked a woman out of our class who'd dared to ask if he only had one pair of shorts or several identical ones. â€Å"What do you kids need?† he asked. â€Å"Next classes don't start until after New Year's.† Adrian and I exchanged glances. â€Å"We, um, need a gun,† I said. â€Å"I mean, just to borrow.† Wolfe scratched his beard. â€Å"I don't lend them out to students who haven't taken my gun class. Safety first.† I found it promising, however, that he lent out guns at all. It was a sign of his character that he didn't even bother asking why we wanted one. â€Å"I've already had training,† I said. That was true. It was mandatory for all Alchemists. I'd done well in it, but as I'd mentioned to Adrian, I really didn't like guns at all. At least a knife had other uses. But a gun? It was only there to injure or kill. Wolfe arched an eyebrow, the one over his good eye. Clearly, he didn't believe me. â€Å"Can you back that up?† â€Å"Do you have a shooting range?† I returned coolly. He almost looked offended. â€Å"Of course I do.† He led us to a building beyond the garage we'd trained in. I'd never been inside this building before, but like his house, it had no windows. The door was covered in enough locks to meet with Alchemist security standards. He let us inside, and I gaped when I saw not only a practice range but also a wall covered in various types of guns. Wolfe gave the small holding space a once-over. â€Å"Earmuffs must be in the house. Be right back.† I continued staring at the wall, knowing my eyes were wide. â€Å"There's no way those are all legal.† Adrian's response was unexpected. â€Å"Did you notice his eye patch?† I dragged my gaze from the arsenal. â€Å"Um, yes. From the day we first met him.† â€Å"No, no. I mean, I swear it was on his other eye last time.† â€Å"It was not,† I said immediately. â€Å"Are you sure?† asked Adrian. I wasn't, I realized. Words and numbers were easy for me to memorize. But other details, like clothing or hair – or eye patches – were sometimes easy for me to miss. â€Å"That doesn't make any sense,† I finally said. â€Å"Why would he do that?† â€Å"He's Malachi Wolfe,† said Adrian. â€Å"Why wouldn't he do that?† I couldn't argue against that. Wolfe returned with ear protection. After examining his wall, he selected a small handgun and then unlocked a cabinet containing ammunition. At least he didn't leave a bunch of loaded guns around. â€Å"I'll do that,† I told him. I took the gun from him and effortlessly loaded it. He made a small grunt of approval. He gestured toward the far end of the range, to a large paper cutout showing a human silhouette with various targets marked on it. â€Å"Now then,† he said. â€Å"Don't worry about hitting the – â€Å" I fired, perfectly emptying the clip into the most difficult targets. I handed the gun to him. He handed it back. Behind him, I could see Adrian staring at me with enormous eyes. â€Å"Keep it,† said Wolfe. â€Å"You passed. You've gotta buy your own ammunition, but as long as you fill out the rental agreement, you're good to go.† As it turned out, the â€Å"rental agreement† was a piece of paper where he wrote the gun type on one side and I put my initials on the other. â€Å"Really?† I asked. â€Å"That's all I need to do? I mean, I'm glad, but . . .† I didn't really know what else to say. Wolfe waved off my protests. â€Å"You're a good kid. If you say you need a gun, I believe you. Someone giving you trouble?† I slipped the gun into my messenger bag. â€Å"Something like that.† Wolfe glanced over at Adrian. â€Å"What about you? You need a gun too?† â€Å"I'm good,† said Adrian. â€Å"Besides, I haven't had the training. Safety first.† Wolfe opened up the ammunition cabinet again and produced a long wooden tube and a sandwich bag of what looked like small darts. â€Å"You want to borrow my blowgun? Not much of a learning curve on this. I mean, you'll never be able to match the skill and cunning of the Amazonian warriors that I stole this from, but it can get you out of a pinch.† â€Å"Thanks, but I'll take my chances,† Adrian said after several long moments. He almost sounded as though he'd considered it. I was still hung up on Wolfe's other words, not sure I believed what I'd heard. â€Å"You were in the Amazon?† This time, Wolfe arched the eyebrow above his eye patch. â€Å"You don't believe me?† â€Å"No, no, of course I do,† I said quickly. â€Å"It's just, you've never mentioned it before.† Wolfe gazed off beyond us. â€Å"I've been trying for years to forget my time there. But some things, you just can't escape.† A very long and very uncomfortable silence followed. At last, I cleared my throat. â€Å"Well, thank you, sir. We should get going. Hopefully I won't need the gun for very long.† â€Å"Keep it as long as you need,† he said. â€Å"If I want it back, I'll find you.† And on that disturbing note, Adrian and I left. Although I understood Ms. Terwilliger's reasons for â€Å"old-fashioned† defense, I was in no way comfortable having a gun around. I'd have to keep it in my car in case school authorities ever did a search of my room and discovered it. My Alchemist and magical kits were already a liability. I was pretty sure there'd be no talking my way out of a gun. Adrian returned me to Amberwood. I started to open the door and then paused to glance over at him. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"For everything. Going to the inn. Suggesting we see Wolfe.† â€Å"Hey, that was worth it just to know Wolfe owns a blowgun.† I laughed. â€Å"Actually, I'd be more surprised if he didn't. See you later.† Adrian nodded. â€Å"Sooner than you think.† â€Å"What's that mean?† I asked, suspicion rearing up in me. He dodged the question and reached underneath his seat. â€Å"I called Alicia,† he told me, producing a small box. â€Å"She couldn't find your cross. Her housekeeping service had already gone through and cleaned the room, but she says she'll check to see if it got caught up in the bedding. Oh, and I also asked about Veronica. She hasn't been back.† That was disheartening news, but I was touched he'd called. â€Å"Thanks for trying.† He opened the box and pulled out a necklace with a tiny wooden cross on it. â€Å"I got you a replacement. I mean, I know there's no real substitute, but I wanted to get you something. And don't start about not being able to accept some fancy gift,† he said, guessing the protest I was about to make. â€Å"It cost me five dollars from a street vendor, and I'm pretty sure the chain is brass.† I bit off my words and took the necklace from him. The cross barely weighed anything. Studying it more closely, I could see a tiny pattern of silver flowers painted on its surface. â€Å"The vendor didn't do that. That's your handiwork.† â€Å"Well . . . I know you're into simple stuff, but I've always got to have some embellishment.† I ran my finger over the cross's surface. â€Å"Why'd you choose morning glories?† â€Å"Because I'm not the biggest fan of lilies.† I smiled at that. When I returned to my dorm room, I laid the necklace out on my dresser. I gave it one last fond look and then tried to decide how best to spend the rest of my day. Our trip to Wolfe actually hadn't taken that long, so I had plenty of time to catch dinner and make sure I was up to date on my homework. I actually ate with Kristin and Julia for a change, which was kind of a nice break from the drama of my other friends. Of course, most of the meal consisted of Julia gushing about â€Å"Dave.† By the end, both she and Kristin were demanding to know when I'd bring him by again. As the evening pushed on, I began to prepare for my meeting with Ms. Terwilliger. I wasn't sure what kind of magic we'd be practicing outdoors but figured I should be ready for anything. I packed a wide variety of items from my kit and even had the foresight to bring a granola bar for post-magic fuel. Once everything was in order, I headed back downstairs. I was nearly out the dorm door when Mrs. Weathers called out to me. â€Å"Sydney?† I paused to glance back. â€Å"Yes, ma'am?† â€Å"Where are you going? It's nearly curfew.† Frowning, I walked over to her desk. â€Å"I'm doing an assignment for Ms. Terwilliger.† Mrs. Weathers looked troubled. â€Å"Yes, I know you do that a lot for her . . . but I haven't received authorization from her to let you out after hours today.† Her expression turned apologetic. â€Å"I'm sure this is all on the up-and-up, but, well, rules are rules.† â€Å"Of course,† I said. â€Å"But she said she'd let you know. Are you sure you didn't get anything? A note? A phone call?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing. I'm sorry.† â€Å"I understand,† I murmured, though I wasn't sure I did. Despite her perpetually scattered nature, Ms. Terwilliger was usually good about this sort of thing. Mrs. Weathers assured me she'd let me go if Ms. Terwilliger gave the okay by phone, so I returned to my room and attempted to call her. I went straight to voice mail, and my text went unanswered. Had something happened to her? Had that magical confrontation I'd been dreading finally gone down? I kicked around my dorm room for the next hour or so, letting all my worries eat at me. Veronica. Marcus. St. Louis. Ms. Terwilliger. The dream. Over and over, I kept imagining the worst outcome for all of them. Just when I thought I'd go crazy, Ms. Terwilliger finally returned my call. â€Å"Why didn't you show up?† she asked as soon as I answered. I felt relieved. She'd gone to the park. That explained the lack of contact since there was no signal out there. â€Å"I tried! Mrs. Weathers wouldn't let me out. You forgot to give me permission.† â€Å"I most certainly didn't. . . .† Her words trailed off uncertainly. â€Å"That is, I thought I did. . . .† â€Å"It's okay† I said. â€Å"You've had a lot on your mind.† â€Å"It's not okay.† She sounded angry but it was at herself, not me. â€Å"I need to be on top of this.† â€Å"Well, you can call Mrs. Weathers now,† I said. â€Å"Too late. I'm already back home. We'll have to attempt this again another time.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"I tried.† Ms. Terwilliger sighed. â€Å"I know you did. It's not your fault. It's mine. I'm letting all of this wear me down, and now I'm getting sloppy. I've already taken too many risks at your expense, and it's put Veronica on your trail. I can't let her get any farther.† A chill ran through me as I thought of those comatose girls – and the possibility of me joining them. I'd been able to stay cool and collected while investigating, but last night's dream had driven home the dangers I faced. That image of the girl in the newspaper hovered in my mind as I held the phone and paced my room. I stopped in front of a mirror and tried to picture myself like that, aged before my time. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away. I couldn't let that happen to me. I just couldn't, and I needed Ms. Terwilliger if I was going to stay safe. Maybe I was a prodigy, but I was nowhere near being able to take on someone like her sister. â€Å"Get some rest, ma'am,† I said at last. â€Å"You sound like you need it.† â€Å"I'll try. And you be careful, Miss Melbourne.† â€Å"I will.† Being careful was the only thing I could do on my own for now. I just hoped it would be enough. When we got off the phone, I didn't want to sleep again. I was afraid to, and it wasn't just because of the sheer terror I'd felt in last night's dream. Ms. Terwilliger had explained there was a type of searching spell that sought people in their sleep, and I worried that if Veronica reached out to me again, she might get a fix on my location. The problem was that after last night's sketchy sleep, I was now even more exhausted. My usual coffee and distraction tricks failed, and before I knew it, I was asleep. I don't know how much time passed before I dreamed. One moment I was lost in the oblivion of sleep. The next, I found myself standing in the room that had hosted Sonya and Mikhail's reception. It looked exactly the same: flowers everywhere, tables covered in white linen and crystal glasses . . . The only difference was that the room was empty and silent. It was eerie, seeing all that richness and glamour with no one to enjoy it. I could've been in a ghost town. I looked down and saw that I wore the same dress from that evening as well. â€Å"I could've made it red, you know. That's a better color for you – not that blue looks bad on you.† Adrian strode toward me, dressed in the same dark blue suit. Understanding hit me. I was in a spirit dream. It was another of that element's incredible feats, the ability for a spirit user to intrude on someone's dreams. No – not intrude. The user was actually able to create the dream itself, controlling every detail. â€Å"It's been a long time since you pulled me into one of these,† I said. â€Å"And look at the progress you've made. Last time you were kicking and screaming.† He held out a hand. â€Å"Want to dance?† â€Å"No music,† I said, not that I had any intention of dancing. He had a point about my reaction, though. I hadn't exactly been kicking and screaming, but I had kind of freaked out. I'd been in full possession of all my fears about vampires and magic, and being surrounded in a world completely constructed of that magic had left me frightened and unhinged. And now? Now I had apparently become so comfortable that my biggest concern was that he'd put me in this dress. I gestured to it. â€Å"Can you change me out of this?† â€Å"You can change yourself out of it,† he said. â€Å"I'm letting go of the control. Just picture yourself the way you are in reality.† I did exactly that, and a moment later, I wore jeans and a pale blue knit top. This obviously disappointed him. â€Å"That's what you sleep in?† â€Å"No.† I laughed. â€Å"I was trying not to sleep at all. It didn't work. Why'd you bring me here?† He strolled around and picked up one of the crystal goblets, nodding in approval as though he were some sort of glassmaking expert. â€Å"Exactly that reason. I saw how much that dream bothered you. I figured if I pulled you into one of these, it'd keep you from one of Veronica's.† I'd never thought of that. Vampire magic was certainly preferable to hers. Looking around, I gained a new appreciation for the room. It became a sanctuary, a place where she couldn't reach me. At least, I hoped not. We really didn't know how her magic would work against Adrian's. For all I knew, she might come walking through the door, carrying Sonya's bouquet. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. I sat down at one of the tables. â€Å"That was nice of you.† It was another one of those incredible moments when Adrian had had the insight to guess my thoughts – or in this case, my fears. â€Å"Well, it was also selfish. I wanted to see you in the dress.† He reconsidered. â€Å"Actually, I wanted to see you in that red Halloween dress again, but I figured that would be pushing my luck.† I looked away as an image of that dress returned to me. Lia DiStefano had created the costume for me. She'd loosely based it on an ancient Greek dress and ended up with a gauzy confection of red and gold. That was when Adrian had said I was the most beautiful creature walking the earth. It had happened before he expressed his feelings for me, but even then, his words had undone me. I thought about what he was doing for me now and decided to give him a small compensation. I focused again on my clothes, and the blue dress returned. â€Å"Better?† I asked. His face lit up in a way that made me smile in return. â€Å"Yes.† Hoping I wasn't setting myself up for some suggestive answer, I asked, â€Å"So what are we going to do?† â€Å"You sure you don't want to dance? I can make some music.† My silence spoke for me. â€Å"Fine, fine. I don't know. We could play a game. Monopoly? Life? Battleship? Twister? Whatever we do, I am not playing Scrabble with you.† We warmed up with Battleship – I won – and then moved on to Monopoly. That took a little work to set up because Adrian could only create things that he could imagine. He couldn't remember all the streets and cards, so we made our best attempt to re-create them. Neither of us could remember one of the yellow streets, so he named it Jet Way. We proved surprisingly well matched, and I became engrossed in the game. The power shifted back and forth between us. Just when one of us seemed to have all the control, the other would seize it back. I had no doubts about my ability to win – until I lost. I sat there, dumbstruck, staring at the board. â€Å"Have you ever lost a game before?† he asked. â€Å"I . . . yes, of course . . . I just didn't think . . .† â€Å"That I could beat you?† â€Å"No, I just . . . it doesn't happen very often.† I looked up at him and shook my head. â€Å"Congratulations.† He leaned back in his chair and laughed. â€Å"I think beating you just improved your opinion of me more than anything else I've ever done.† â€Å"I've always had a high opinion of you.† I stretched out, surprised to feel kinks in my body. It was strange how these dreams could have such a realistic physical component. â€Å"How long have we have been here?† â€Å"I don't know. It's not morning yet.† He appeared unconcerned. â€Å"What do you want to play next?† â€Å"We shouldn't play anything,† I said. I stood up. â€Å"It's been hours. I'm asleep, but you aren't. You can't stay up all night.† â€Å"I'm a vampire, Sage. A creature of the night, remember?† â€Å"One who's on a human schedule,† I chastised. He still didn't seem worried. â€Å"Only one class tomorrow. I'll make it up.† â€Å"What about the spirit?† I began to pace restlessly as more of the implications hit me. â€Å"You have to be using a lot of it. That's not good for you.† â€Å"I'll take my chances.† There was an unspoken for you at the end of his sentence. I returned to the table and stood in front of his chair. â€Å"You have to be careful. Between this and the Veronica hunt. . . .† I suddenly felt bad. I hadn't thought twice about asking him to help with that. I'd forgotten the risks. â€Å"Once we've stopped her, you need to lay off the spirit.† â€Å"Don't worry.† He grinned. â€Å"Once we've gotten rid of that bitch, I'll be celebrating so much that I won't be sober for days.† â€Å"Ugh. Not the healthiest way to do it. Have you ever thought about antidepressants?† I knew they helped some spirit users by blocking the magic. His smile vanished. â€Å"I won't touch those things. Lissa took them and hated them. Being cut off from spirit nearly drove her crazy.† I crossed my arms and leaned against the table. â€Å"Yeah, but using it will drive you crazy too.† â€Å"No lectures tonight, Sage. It mars my stunning Monopoly victory.† He was far too casual for such a serious matter, but I knew him well enough to recognize when he wouldn't yield. â€Å"Fine. Then let's end on a high note. Send me back, and get some sleep.† â€Å"You sure you'll be okay?† His concern was so intense. I didn't think anyone had ever worried about me that much. Well, maybe Ms. Terwilliger. â€Å"Probably she gave up for the night.† I really didn't know, but I couldn't let him keep exerting himself. The thought of Veronica reaching out again terrified me . . . but the thought of Adrian endangering himself almost scared me more. He'd risked so much for me. Could I do any less? â€Å"You can check on me tomorrow night, though.† Adrian's face lit up as though I'd just accepted a date. â€Å"It's a deal, then.† And like that, the reception hall dissolved around me. I returned to peaceful sleep and just barely heard him say, â€Å"Sweet dreams, Sage.†